June 27, 2009

This is the fourth in a series of 13 features about Miami University's brightest student-athletes. Their exceptional academic performance during the recently completed spring semester earned them a spot on the roster of the RedHawks' exclusive Straight-A Team. In addition to their rigorous schedules on the athletic fields, each of these individuals earned a perfect 4.0 grade-point average this past semester.

OXFORD, Ohio -- Balancing a full slate of classes with an NCAA Division I football schedule is no easy task. Throw in a healthy social life and it is no small feat just to get by.

Seth Philip, one of two football players named to the Straight-A Team, goes above and beyond to accomplish his goals. Earning his place on the President's List for the spring semester, he found a way to balance all aspects of his life and excel in the classroom. He attributes his success to one simple rule.

"Prioritizing," he said. "I make sure football and academics stay at the top of my priorities and any other time can be spent on other things."

Finishing the semester with all A's was not one of his direct goals, but his efforts paid off.

"I didn't think I was going to get an A in Managerial Accounting," he said. "I don't know how it happened. That class took a lot of time and hard work."

The efforts in his classes paid off in the form of numerous accolades. Besides being named to the President's List, he earned a scholarship for the next year from the accountancy program. In addition to his accountancy major, he is one class away from completing his minor in French.

"I went to a French immersion school from kindergarten through 8th grade," Philip said. "The minor just came naturally. At some point in the future, I'd like to work in France. Maybe do an internship in a year."

"I came to Miami strictly for the academics," he said. "I had a stress fracture in my kicking hip my senior year in high school so I didn't plan on playing football, but after my first semester I decided I wanted to try out."

The next year he tried out and earned a spot on the team as a walk-on. Just a season later he earned kickoff duties. Now he's got another challenge ahead. After tearing his ACL in January, he is battling his way back. He has a chance to win the kicking job for the upcoming season, but must beat out two teammates first.

"The other two guys a pretty good, so it will be a tough battle," he said. "I definitely have my work cut out for me."

He's used to challenges and has thrived when facing them in the past. If all goes as planned, he will graduate next May, enter the accountancy master's program at Miami, and finish out his athletic eligibility.

STRAIGHT-A TEAM

Name: Seth Philip

Hometown/HS: Columbus, Ohio/Whetstone

Year: Junior (eligibility)/Senior (academically)

Major: Accountancy

Minor: French

Spring Semester GPA: 4.00

Notables: Earned kickoff duties in his second season with the team ... came back from stress fracture in kicking hip during senior year in high school to win a spot on the team as a sophomore walk-on.

Someone He Looks Up To: "[Former Miami kicker] Nate Parseghian. I learned a ton from him. He works really hard and I look up to him a lot. He taught me a lot. When I won the kickoff job, he wasn't mad at all, he was happy I got it and was very helpful."

Most Difficult Class at Miami: "An art history survey during my freshman year. I found out arts are not my specialty. I struggled with that one for sure."